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Dolphins half Isaiya Katoa has thrived with the added responsibility of captaincy. (Dave Hunt\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n Dolphins half Isaiya Katoa has thrived with the added responsibility of captaincy. (Dave Hunt\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Dolphins captain Isaiya Katoa was still at school with no NRL pedigree when the new franchise took a punt on him, which partly explains why he has a deep-seated loyalty to the club.<\/p>\n
It is why he never flinched before signing a long-term deal, and why he had no intention of chasing dollars in the lead-up to NRL expansion.<\/p>\n
Katoa, still just 21, will lead the eighth-placed Dolphins against Sydney Roosters on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium as one of the game’s leading playmakers.<\/p>\n
Some of the key storylines to look out for in Round 23 of the NRL season. (Jasper Bruce\/AAP VIDEO)<\/p>\n
He had come through the Penrith system as an elite talent, but was untested in the big time when the Dolphins signed him.<\/p>\n
Katoa inked a deal until the end of 2025 initially, but in March last year negotiated an upgrade and three-year extension until the end of 2028.<\/p>\n
There was interest from other clubs, but Katoa had no interest in looking for the extra dollar that may have been available.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He was also confident that assistant coach Kristian Woolf, now head coach, would get the best out of him when Wayne Bennett moved on.<\/p>\n
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\n Dolphins head coach Kristian Woolf (centre) has been warmly received by his players. (Darren England\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
The Dolphins and Katoa mutually decided to get the deal done.<\/p>\n
It was clear at that point expansion was on the horizon, but holding out for a big deal at what turned out to be two new clubs – Perth and PNG – was also not on Katoa’s agenda.<\/p>\n
“I just knew that I needed to repay the club for taking a chance on me,” Katoa said.<\/p>\n
“I came here out of school and was playing maybe four or five games of rugby league a year. For them to have the faith in me to come and ultimately be the halfback at their club was one thing.<\/p>\n
“The other thing is that I am loving it here. I have never once not felt like I wasn’t at home. As soon as I got here I got that feeling straight away.<\/p>\n
“Another big thing was Woolfy. Having him be my first NRL coach (initially as an assistant) and internationally has had a massive impact on my career so far.<\/p>\n
“The money wasn’t a problem for me. I knew where I was happy and where I was going to get the best out of myself as a footy player and as a person.”<\/p>\n
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\n Dolphins half Isaiya Katoa has become one of the NRL’s leading playmakers. (Dave Hunt\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Katoa was still at school when he toured New Zealand with the Tonga side in mid-2022 under Woolf. He played a role in camp but did not play.<\/p>\n
Before he had played an NRL game, Katoa debuted for Tonga at the 2022 World \u00a0Cup in England, where he also remotely sat his final exams at school.<\/p>\n
It was there the Woolf-Katoa partnership was forged, and now it is reaping rewards.<\/p>\n
Katoa, now with 63 NRL games and nine Tests under his belt, was elevated to the captaincy after injuries to Tom Gilbert and Felise Kaufusi and is now fine-tuning the art of leadership.<\/p>\n
“Responsibility is the biggest thing. For me as a captain it is not about what I am saying. It is the actions I am doing on the field,” Katoa said.<\/p>\n
“When Tommy and Fus were still captains I was still very vocal in controlling our attack and our team mindset. I have made it clear to the group that, yes, I have been given the captaincy, but my role within the team doesn’t change.”<\/p>\n